NEXT???

Just talked with Angela Sudermann at ABC about where I could go next. She has some great ideas. Details to follow......

'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...' [Matthew 28:19]

bloginfo: ABC = American Baptist Convention at Valley Forge [International Ministries]

Reflections...

My Volunteer Mission:
@ JAMI in Belo Horizonte, Brazil


After three years one would expect things to be the same. Some were and some weren’t. Getting to JAMI is always a challenge as modes of transportation change. The first year, I scheduled a layover in São Paulo; the second year a transfer in that airport and the third year a direct flight from Miami. This year was the easiest.

My living arrangements had not changed from last year; I had the same apartment just off the dining room. This is a great room with direct access to meals and classes. A fan, this year, was a welcomed addition. The shower was now enclosed with glass doors, a ‘shower box’ in Portuguese. A bowl of fresh fruit welcomed me and was again filled for the second week. I was honored by such hospitality.

The students, only five in number this year, were motivated and eager to learn English. They were all at distinct and differing levels of language proficiency. Classes at JAMI are intensive to say the least. The students are in class at least three hours a day with additional assignments, activities and tutoring sessions. My job was to assist the two missionaries, Bruce and Ann Borquist. They were in control of all the academic language instruction. I, as a volunteer, worked with them in classes, prepared materials, led activities and worked with individual students. At night, after the staff went home, I was involved with the students in their daily assignments, devotional preparation, cultural questions and pronunciation problems.

Devotionals were held each morning. They included Praise and Worship music, Bible readings, group prayers and a devotional message. The message was given in English while being translated into Portuguese. I gave the devotional message twice, once each week. My messages emphasized the need to learn English, the new language, and the problems one faces during this process. The first week, I spoke about ‘roadblocks and detours’ on the highway to success. The second week, I focused on the GPS, an external device, to guide your trip and the internal GPS [God’s Positioning System] which we all have to guide us.

Food and customs were two aspects of my stay that taught me a lot. Being able to ‘fit in’ to a new culture is very important in a group setting. What to eat, when to pray, how to comport oneself during different periods of the day, what water to drink, when to explain, when to let the student figure it out – these questions and many more can make or break your stay. Group prayer is individually vocalized; ‘clamor’ for Jesus. Breakfast is only a roll and coffee. Lunch is the big meal of the day; main course is limited but amount unspoken. There are two periods of meditation daily and enforced. Everyone washes ones own dishes in cold water. Sanitary facilities are not what we are used to. So in order to be integral part of the community, you need to change!

Looking back on the three years, I see all the mistakes I have made, remember all my new friends, appreciate what I have here, miss the joyful music and the vibrant prayer, understand myself better and feel the need to go further in yet a different setting. I am already looking forward to my next mission.

HOME soon...

Now that I am on my way home to CVOC, I want to thank everyone for reading my blog; it has been great keeping a record of my trip.

The only question is: WHERE TO NEXT?

JAMI: my going away party + departure

Yesterday afternoon [Thursday] I was told that I wasn't part of the afternoon activity, so I managed to get away from campus [thanks to Bruce Borquist] for a while. When we got back, the dining room was decorated in black and white and everyone was wearing black and white, also. These are, of course, the only colors I wear so this was a great tribute to me. The students sang several of my favorite praise songs, read a passage from the Bible and gave a few speeches. They had spent the whole afternoon decorating and cooking. A delicious fish pastel was the dish of the evening and was certainly a labor of love; layers and layers of fish, vegetables, cheese and pastry. There was also a huge chocolate cake. This was a great time.

On Friday late afternoon we all left for the airport in the new VW Kombi; this was the maiden voyage. Using every experience for an English lesson, I went through check-in and then reported the process back to the students [lots of wh-questions]. I was early to get through the gate entry so we browsed around the terminal. The Belo Horizonte International Terminal [CNF] is great and very user friendly. At last it was time to go through security to the gate. I waited in the lounge and had one last pao de quijo [cheese bread/roll]. The flight was great; short and sweet and only took 7 hours to get to Miami. Immigration and Customs were a breeze and there was a taxi line so didn't have to wait at all. Arrived at sister and brother-in-law's house in Miami Shores at 5:00 AM local time.

I am close to home; God bless!

JAMI mornings

Every morning we start the day with fresh rolls from the bakery up the street and the best Brazilian coffee. As soon as the bell rings, everyone gathers in the dining hall. Someone is appointed to say Grace and then the day begins.

I usually walk up to the bakery, Paníssima, with our cook [we call her Tia Mi (Auntie) but her full name is Mircia Vitoa Rosa] early in the morning to get the freshest rolls ever. She has a method to get the best: knock on the little window to let the baker know we are there and he pushes out a couple dozen of the most newly-baked. No buying an hour old roll for her! This morning´s rolls came to R$3.80 [less than $2.00!] I bought a coconut sponge cake to add to the breakfast. It cost R$2 but he couldn´t change my R$20 so gave it to me for R$1 [about 85 cents].

The coffee is delicious, hot and strong. I even use sugar here in Brazil and hot milk; the best way to go. The cups are so tiny that I try to get a few for that caffeine rush. That will keep me going until lunch time. Sometimes there is a piece of fruit to supplement breakfast or someone will share their stash of fresh cheese. Anyway this is quite different from breakfast at home.

Today I was able to share some apples and carambolas [star apples] that were in my weekly fruit basket. The students were in charge of the meal so the bread was yesterday's but toasted in a waffle iron tasted very good. Especiallly with the good coffee!

This will probably be my last blog onsite from JAMI. The computers have been down because of the rain and connection problems. I will tidy up the entries and embed pictures when I get home at the end of the month.

I hope everyone has enjoyed reading about my short term volunteer mission here in Brazil. Being able to share this venture has been very important to me.
God Bless!

JAMI customs

Everyone shares everything here. Even the lowly lime that someone picked on their way to dinner or supper. Limes are used to spice up the juice drinks that are used as the beverage of choice. You put what you want to share on the table for anyone to use: limes, cheese, coldcuts, a bit of candy.



There was a big bowl of fruit in my room to welcome me. I put out some bananas on the breakfast table today and will share the rest during the next few mornings. I could never eat that much fruit anyway!


Before every meal we stop and say grace. This is not the 'four line ditty' said at the Thanksgiving table; this is the real thing. The weekly leader asks someone to give the grace and they pray in Portuguese or English. I haven't been asked yet this time but have had the opportunity many times before.

The students cook on weekends so we had fried egg, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for dinner with fried manioc!

There is student meditation/Bible reading time each morning. Some students even climb up the hill and pray while the sun rises. Prayer during devotional time is very integrative and personal and we often pray for a missionary who is having difficulty at their foreign site.

This is such a special place! Harmony, peace and brotherhood reign supreme! We have not had computer access for two days now and someone just gave up their space and time on the computer so I could blog this entry.

JAMI: some lessons...

My classes here at JAMI have been very interesting. Some of the more 'memorable' are:



...a pronunciation lesson dealing with the th/TH sound contrast using the words from the song: 'Glorify Thy Name' with Father, earth, the, Thy, etc. This sound contrast is not easy for speakers of Brazilian Portuguese.


...a Language Informant Activity [LIA] which is new this year to JAMI in which I was the bus driver [informant] while Salvatore asked cultural and linguistic questions. I tried to be the ultimate NYC bus driver with 'sit down, keep to the rear, exact change, etc.. This was lots of fun.


...practicing the names of books of the Old Testament in English. This turned into a rap session and was livened up by a rooster. I
pronounced a book [Exodus] and the rooster would reply [cock-a-doodle-do] before the students got a chance to reply. I faked out his rhythm though and accomplished the lesson. The students never realized there was a problem.



...individual work with students on pronunciation of subjects they brought up. There were many energetic sessions here. Lots of cultural questions...





...trip on the bus from JAMI to Minas Shopping, a huge mall. We left at 8:30 and caught a fory minute bus ride. I was with the guys, Anderson and Salvatore, while the girls were in another group. First we visited the supermarket as the mall section didn´t open until 10 o'clock. The guys bought supplies for their cottages. They live here on campus for seven months and have to maintain their own living quarters here. Then we went to the bank [part of the assignment] and discussed the ATM machines in English. It's a wonder we weren't arrested we hung around there so long taking notes. Next we did some shopping and I bought three black and white jerseys which will be a surprise for the guys and our 'uniform' on Friday my last day here. Next a snack in the Food Court [part of the assignment, really] where I bought a banana and cheese pastel [fried pastry] and a fresh orange juice. Last minute shopping for keychains for the girls and then a run across the highway to get the bus back home. The other passengers on the bus must have really wondered what was going on. The entire trip was a big moving English lesson.
We made it just in time for lunch!

bloginfo: 'Casa do Nações' in the top picture is our classroom [House of Nations]

Words X 3 [or 4]...

...on January 1, 2007 Pastor Ich Nguyen used the following phrase in a sermon; I keep it with me always:

"Jesus chooses unlikely candidates to serve his purpose..."

...during evenings here at JAMI, I am reading Mean Streets a collection of novellas. In "The Warrior" by Jim Butcher, it reads: '...God isn't about making good things happen to you, or bad things happen to you. He's all about making choices - exercising the gift of free will. God wants you to have good things and a good life, but He can't gift wrap them for you. You have to choose the actions that lead you to that life."


...on May 20, 2009 Missionary Cecilia Carvalho gave the devotional message here at JAMI. This is exercepted from her message, 'God Uses Broken Things' ©Child Evangelism Fellowship, Inc. 1964,67 :

Many people believe that they do not have the talent, training, or ablility to attempt work in the missionary field. When they learn that God is not looking for ability but for weak and broken vessels through which He may pour His power, their attitude changes. They find that it is not so much natural ability and talent that God wants as it is complete submission to his His will. (Not by might, nor by power but by my spirit says the Lord Almighty [Zc. 4:6])

We place high value on natural talents, gifts, training, and ability as requisites for the Lord's service. How differently God looks at things! God is looking for those who, in their weakness and brokenness, know that they themselves can do nothing, and will look to him to do it all through them. He delights to give strength to those who have no might ([Is. 40:29] He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.) Oh, what an encouragement to those of us who want to serve the Lord!



...Isabela Carvalho [daughter of Cecilia] gave the devotional message on Thursday. She speaks Portuguese, English and Spanish and spoke about learning a new language, French. This was aimed at the missionary students here learning English. In her talk she said: "He [the Lord] gives us the capacity to do the unthinkable...". This is so true.

JAMI Missionaries

Ann and Bruce Borquist serve as missionaries of International Ministries ABCUSA in Belo Horizonte, Brazil in partnership with JAMI, the international mission agency of the National Baptist Convention of Brazil. The Borquists equip Brazilian missionaries to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in countries around the world, including unreached people groups in Brazil. Based at JAMI's missionary training center in Belo Horizonte, they serve as teachers and pastoral counselors training new missionaries in the areas of cross-cultural ministry skills, Christian community and economic development, and English language for mission.

Ann and Bruce are excited to be part of the growing response of "majority world" churches to the Great Commission, as these churches increasingly send and support their own missionaries. In addition to their ministry in Brazil, they share with American Baptist congregations what they learn from our Brazilian Baptist partners. In this way, we they live out Paul's command to "encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thess. 5:11) The Borquists served as American Baptist missionaries in the Philippines from 1987- 1996, supporting ministries of Christian leadership development, education, church strengthening, and community and economic development.

The Borquists served as American Baptist missionaries in the Philippines from 1987-1996, supporting ministries of Christian leadership development, church strengthening, and community and economic development.

blognote: The picture includes their son, Asa, who has become a very good friend to me.

'morning on campus'

guineau hen strolling up a gravel path;
sounds of breakfast preparation,
a morning chill blankets the ground
while a soft morning sun rises slowly
melting early fog at mountain's base

the vista: lush plantings fronting
a far cityscape nestling in foothills
[the sun rises as I write]
the chill diminishes, sounds increase
while a rooster announces that
a new day has started once again

blognote: I had hoped to write 'a poem a day' like last year but this is only the second. The first will appear on the poetry blog @www.tjjfpoems.blogspot.com when I get better computer access.

A Special Time of Day

Every morning [except Sunday], I accompany Tia Mi or 'Auntie', our cook, to Panissima. This is the padaria, bakery, where she purchases freshly baked rolls for breakfast. I usually buy something to add to the coffee and rolls. Today I bought a coffee cake for R$1.99 which converts to about US79 cents. The students are overjoyed and cries of 'obrigado' ring out.

On the way to the bakery we converse in that international language of mixed Portuguese, Spanish and gestures. We talk about our families mostly: mine in Connecticut and hers here and in Italy. This morning I learned that she had worked in Connecticut as a household helper; what a small world. The conversation is light but bridges two cultures.

She is a wonderful woman and reminds me of my Aunt Kiki who brought me up in my early childhood in Hartford. But now the ages are reversed; she is a lot younger than me. God bless!

Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte (Portuguese for "beautiful horizon") is the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Belo Horizonte (or "Beagá", as it is more familiarly known from the sound of its initials "BH" in Portuguese) has a population of almost 3 million, reaching over 5.5 million in the official Metropolitan Area

Belo Horizonte's climate can be classified as Tropical of altitude, with yearly average temperature between 9°C (48.2°F) and 35°C (95°F). As a city located in the southern Hemisphere, Belo Horizonte's spring starts in September, its summer in December, its autumn in March, and its winter in June. Belo Horizonte is located about 300 km (186 mi) distant from the sea.
Even though inter-seasonal differences are not as pronounced as they are in temperate places, and many people believe that, as in much of Brazil, there are just two seasons (a hot and humid one from October to March, and a colder and drier one from April to September), there is a contrast between spring and summer, and between fall and winter.

The weather this week has been beautiful; cool in the mornings, warm in the afternoon and sometimes chilly at night. I had to use the beautiful black and white blanket last night. It rains a little in the afternoon and there have been two torrential downpours during the night.

bloginfo: above taken from Google
blognote: The picture is the Brazilian flag [but you knew that].

JAMI campus

This is the main JAMI building. It houses the offices of the administrators and one of the classrooms is upstairs. It is also where the computers are housed. I keep trying to add to the blog but there is usually a wait to get online.

This morning [Saturday], I am using a student's laptop as the computers are down.

There have been many improvements here. The big classroom above the offices in this building now has a ceiling. We had class here yesterday and it was very nice. Another great improvement is in my bathroom; it now has sliding glass doors in the shower which makes for a much drier situtation.

Last night we went out for pizza [Brazilian style] to celebrate the end of the week. Just me and the Borquists, what a treat. The pizza here is unbelievable, maybe I should open up a pizza place in Cromwell. I would make a fortune [or go broke as there is so much filling]. Anyway it was delicious!

blognote: the review for the pizza and some other BH restaurants is at www.mofongoman.blogspot.com

a quick note...

I am at the Borquist family apartment in the city and am using their computer. I checked my email and deleted just about everything. Sending me an email is of no use as I never know where or when I will have computer access.

Everything is going fine. The weather is great, the students are wonderful and it is really great to be back here for the third time.

Being away from all the news, Dow average, Biggest Loser, American Idol, etc. really does have its benefits. There is no media here but there is the Grammar book, the Portuguese/English dictionary and the Bible.

Tonight I spoke to a group of English language students at the Borquist neighborhood church, Igreja Batista Reviver. What a wonderful experience. I learned a lot about neighborhood outreach. I hope they learned something about me and my experience in Brazil with my rapid English. There was even a young Brazilian poet and we exchanged blog addresses. He is even on blogspot.

JAMI students 2009

Anderson trained to be a pastor and has taught seminary classes. Before coming to us, he also completed a linguistics course for Bible translators. His mission goal is wide open. He dreams of serving in Greece, but is also interested in Bolivia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.


Juliana is a nurse who worked two jobs in a hospital and put herself through seminary by taking Saturday classes. She’s the first evangelical Christian in her family and one of her best supporters in her new calling is her mother. Ever since she heard one of our former students speak at her church several years ago, her heart’s desire has been to serve an indigenous people group in the Brazilian Amazon.


Raquel is also a nurse who put herself through seminary. Her great love, though, is urban mission, especially children’s ministries. She was very active in her church’s Sunday School and at the same time she served in its ministries in the favelas (slum areas) of her home city. Her mission goal at this point is Peru.


Salvador has done many things in his life before coming to us. He worked as an
administrative assistant, studied in seminary, and completed technical training as a clinical pathologist: which was also his most recent job. Throughout this journey, he has had the dream of cross-cultural missionary service. He finally convinced his pastor that this was his calling, and is the first missionary to come from his church. At this point his mission goal is Ethiopia.


Sandra served last year in Bolivia through a Brazilian parachurch mission agency. She is active in her home church’s worship and dance ministry, and also is a leader for the young adult group. An administrative assistant by profession, she now feels the call to serve through JAMI in cross-cultural ministry in Sudan.

JAMI sunset

Last evening.
Belo Horizonte means beautiful horizon. This is that view.

Looking out over the city, the lights disappear with only the glory of the sunset to be seen. Calm sets in, today's classes are over. Supper is finished, showers are taken, homework is being completed. The staff has all gone home. Students begin to congregate in the dining hall, wandering in, talking softly, praise songs are playing on the stereo.

Getting up enough courage to ask a question in English, we start to talk. This is the core of my existence; the reason for my mission. Communication is open and flows freely. Culture and language problems disappear. Everyone chips in to keep the conversation ongoing. We stay up late knowing that tomorrow will be another difficult day but this is so important. This is where you can posit that personal question without fear.

Praise the Lord!

This morning I gave the Message at Devotionals. I spoke about Life´s Journey: Roadblocks and Detours. The talk was based on the past four years of my life; three volunteering at JAMI. I used the following passages:

Lamentations 3:19
I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.
Isaiah 43:18-19
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
Psalm 30:11
You have turned my mouurning into joyful dancing. You have taken away the clothes of mourning and clothed with joy.

The message was simultaneously translated into Portuguese by Missionary Ann Borquist.

JAMI: the shedule

Started teaching today. Here is the schedule for the next two weeks:

7:00 Coffee/rolls
8:00 Staff meeting
8:30 Devotional
9:00 to 10:45 Class
11:00 Individual help/Tutoring
12:00 Lunch
1:00 to 2:30 Meditation/Rest
2:30 Class
3:45 Structured Review
4:30 to 5:30 Practicum
6:00 to 7:00 Dinner
7:30 to 8:30 Fellowship/Activities

Arrival

Here I am back home at JAMI for the third year in a row. This is the entrance to the Missionary Training Center in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
I arrived here on Sunday morning and will start teaching on Monday.

MIA/CNF

American Airlines flight #991 departed Miami at 11:45pm and arrived in Belo Horizonte at 8:20am today. Great flight!

Met my new students at JAMI, unpacked and now at the Borquist residence downtown. Weather is very warm.

Miami bus message

Seen on a bus today in Miami: 'nadie es eterno en el mundo' which freely translates as nothing lasts forever [in this world] !

I will take this message with me to Brazil and teach as if this will be my last mission. AND continue, and continue and hopefully continue.

BDL/FLL

Delta flight #1403 left on time and arrived early. Great flight! Picked up by sister and brother-in-law. At their house in Miami Shores. Excited to be flying out to Brazil on Saturday night.

blognote: wrote a poem 'spacing: racing through space' on my poetry blog.

JAMI the first year

January 11, 2008 I received the following from two of my students in JAMI my first year. This will serve as my inspiration for this year at JAMI and for years to come.



Just received this postcard yesterday from Herbert Lucas, Missionary in Guiné-Bissau, Africa. He and his family sent the following message:

Grace and Peace!
We missed you very much. Herbert and I remember always your time with us here in JAMI [Belo Horizonte, Brasil]. You taught us not only English, but you taught us about God's power. Through your life we were able to better understand about Isaiah 40:28 to 31.

Thank you! In God's Love
Desiré, Herbert, Natã

bloginfo: Isaiah 40: 28-31

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

My Sunday Prayer

Heavenly Father
look down upon your servant, Thomas
as he prepares to leave for Brazil
look down upon this congregation
as they prepare to pray and support him
look down upon his students there
as they prepare to become missionaries

Heavenly Father
teach us to share and give of our talents
so that your name will be spread
teach us to understand the meaning
of language and its use in prayer
teach us to come together in time of need
and use prayer as a means to and end


Heavenly Father
give us the compassion to help others
while we help ourselves attain paradise
give us the compassion to reach out
to those less fortunate, those more needy
give us the compassion to understand
that no matter how little it do, it matters

Heavenly Father
look down upon your servant, Thomas
and bring him safely back home to Central
teach him humility so that he can improve
the use of his gifts and talents more fully
and give him and us a true understanding
of the power of Your word around the world

Amen!

bloginfo: I asked the congregation to pray with me today at Central Baptist Church as I prepare to leave on Wednesday for Brazil. This will be my third year there at JAMI volunteering at the Missionary Training Center.

time to pack...[update]

I just 'practice packed' and everything fits into the large handcarry. That's what I really wanted to do so as not to have to check any luggage. It is a tight squeeze with a few gifts, a book and some activity sheets. I won't have a lot to wear but it will suffice. Thank heavens I only wear black!

3/4/09
Can't figure out which of my two good luggage pieces to use for this Brazil trip. Or should I use both? Would like to travel light with only handcarry but don't know if I can fit everything in. I have a book or two and a pile of activity sheets I downloaded from the computer.

The work at JAMI is certainly no 'fashion show' but if it rains alot you need a dry change of clothes. I will take that quick-dry towel I bought and hope that it works out. More later...